The Common Tern

Common Terns are very active breeding and feeding all over Cape Cod!  They typically arrive back to the Cape in late April and remain until around September before heading south to Central and South America.  Common Terns breed in large colonies and are widespread on sandy spits and beaches along the coast on the Cape.  These terns are noted for hovering over water and then plunge diving after a variety of small fish.  The Common Tern has a black cap, light gray upper parts, paler gray under parts, orange legs and feet and a black tipped orange bill.  Major breeding colonies can be found nearby on Monomoy Island in Chatham as well as Bird Island in Marion and Ram Island near Mattapoisett.

This adult common tern has returned from a feeding trip on Buzzards Bay.  It has captured a small herring.  The herring are an abundant and regular food source for the common terns.  This tern will use this as a food source for itself or share it with one of its chicks.  The chicks may be fed 14-20 times per day.  The adult will bring small fish back one at a time and the chicks learn quickly to take the fish and swallow it whole.

This adult common tern is returning to the breeding ground with a small herring in its bill.  The adult will often travel within a range around the breeding area looking for surface fish near shallow waters, bays and near shore locations.  Sometimes the common tern will forage on its own, but frequently the terns will forage in small groups.  The tern will capture a single herring or other fish and then return to the nest to feed the chicks.
 
These two terns are engaging in a variation of a courtship display.  Usually one adult will secure food and offer the food to a prospective mate.  It is very unusual to have two adult terns so close together with fish!

Craig Gibson